Opening Up
by Kevin Elric Kennedy
Summary: After another failed attempt to bring Sasuke back, the crew heads back to Konoha. Sakura begins to worry about Naruto, not only that he hasn't come out of his house for a day, she's also wants to comfort him but doesn't know how to. Who could help?


The day was beautiful, everybody was out and about. Earlier today Kakashi and Yamato's team came back from their failed mission. Sasuke wasn't back with them, and Naruto's spirit was at an all-time low he hasn't felt this bad in his whole life, sure he has failed to bring Sasuke back 2 times before, but for some reason this hurted the most for him. He didn't even bother to show up for the briefing of the mission. He doesn't even want to be seen by anyone right now, especially Sakura. They haven't even spoken to each other during the journey home. Sakura's spirit wasn't exactly full of sunshine and daises either. She knew that Naruto was down, she wanted to bring Naruto's bright side back up again, but she didn't know what to say to him and how to say it to him.

The afternoon was winding down and the shadows were now beginning to set down. Sakura was walking down main street, the crowd always seem to be getting bigger when it is nighttime, she walked past the Yamanaka flower without a gander, without any notice from Sakura she was being followed by none other than Ino herself. After a few blocks, Sakura then noticed she was being followed. And after another few blocks, Sakura stopped in her tracks and faced forward Naruto's favorite place to eat; Ichiraku Ramen. Sakura sighed and turned her head around to be facing Ino's direction. "I know you're there Ino." Sakura said nonchalant. "Dammit." Ino said under her breath and revealed herself. "Why are you following me." "Because I, I um.. We haven't talked in such a long time. How about it?" Sakura closed her eyes, "Sure, why not." Sakura and Ino entered the establishment and ordered their food.

"So, how's life?" Sakura shrugged," Going okay I guess." Ino looked at Sakura when she answered. "Going okay?" Sakura frowned a little, "Why are you asking me this?" Sakura said with irritation. "Uh, because I haven't talked to you since you, Sai, Naruto, and my team went to dinner that night. So did you and Naruto brought Sasuke back?" Sakura flinched and lowered her head a little. "No." Ino's eyes widened. "I should've known. I mean if Sasuke came back you will be ALL-OVER HIM." Ino finished with gusto. "HA!" Sakura laughed. "Ino, I don't like him that way anymore." Sakura shocked Ino, was it the truth or she just saying that so that Ino would get off her back? "When then that happened?" "When he almost killed Naruto. How can I love someone that would kill one of closest friends unless you're a monster yourself." "Wait a minute?! Since when was Naruto your closest friend?" Sakura rolled her eyes, "Since... ever." "I don't buy that for even a minute, is it when he promised to bring Sasuke back for you?" Sakura nodded. "Hmph, believe me if he ever does something like that for me, I'll be.., never mind." Sakura eyes widened when Ino couldn't finish the sentence. "Sakura, is there something going on that I need to know?" Sakura stumble around the bush for a few seconds, there was indeed something going on. "Yes."

"Tell, now." Ino semi-demanded Sakura. "I haven't seen Naruto since we came back, it's not like him to not be social able." "Yeah, now that you mention it I haven't seen the idiot all day either." Sakura turn her eyes away from Ino. "I know what's the problem, and I do want to see him, but I'm having a problem with it." "What's the problem?" "I'm going to tell him to give up on Sasuke. But I know that he isn't going to take it well." Ino looked at Sakura suspiciously. "How come?" "Because he's just going to say I'M NOT GIVING UP ON HIM, NEITHER SHOULD YOU. Or something like that." Sakura finished her dinner; Ino just stared at Sakura like deer caught in the headlights. Ino got a grip and just realized something. "Sakura, remember that you said you don't like Sasuke anymore, does Naruto know this?" Sakura nodded." No". "How come?" "Oh yeah, I'm like going to tell Naruto about it in a casual conversation. Don't you see what's wrong here? We are not 'there' yet."

"Well don't you think you should be there now? I mean you and Naruto are close friends right?" "Ino, of course me and Naruto are close friends, we talk about everything together, but.." "But what?" The pink haired kunoichi couldn't answer. "Ino, can I tell you something and don't spread it around Konoha?" Ino nodded. "The reason why I don't tell Naruto about this is because if I do, I think it may lead to another thing that I think I'm not ready for." "And what is that?" Sakura was quirking her eyebrows to give Ino an idea. Ino eyes widened as wide as a mountain. "OMIGOD! No freaking way, SERIOUSLY!? How did this happen?" "I don't really know, I guess I was slowly falling for him since he left, but does that really matter?." "HOW COME YOU DIDN'T TELL HIM YET?! He talks about you all the time."

"Ino pipe down, first of all... WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE TALKS ABOUT ME ALL THE TIME? I THOUGHT THAT HE NO LONGER LIKES ME THAT WAY?!" Sakura finished in shock. "Well, he does. He talks about how radiant you are, how much stronger you've become, and your medical skills, and.." 'Naruto.' Sakura's heart fluttered when she learned about the nice stuff that Naruto said about her. "What makes you think that way?" Sakura broke out of her trance. "Because.. I don't know really, I thought he moved on and stopped trying. I mean if I was Naruto, I would've stopped trying." Ino smiled. "Well, he still likes you. So from what you are telling me if you told Naruto that you don't like Sasuke anymore, it would lead to you admitting to him that you found someone else and that someone else is him. And then you would be in a relationship that you aren't ready for. Is that accurate?" Sakura was surprised by Ino, it was like she knew exactly what she was going to do. Sakura nodded, "Sakura, listen to your heart, that is all I can do, I can't help you decide to talk to Naruto or not." Sakura smiled at her friend. "Thanks." "No problem."

The next day

It was 10 o'clock when Naruto heard loud knocking on his door, he got off of his bed and started to irritated. "WHO IS IT?! It better not be you again Konohamaru!" Naruto opened the door, and it wasn't Konohamaru, it was Sakura. "I'm so sorry Sakura-Chan! I didn't know it was you. What do you want anyways?" "Get yourself dressed, we are going on a walk." Naruto look at her funny. "For what?" "Naruto, we need to talk." Naruto looked at her with concern. "Give me a minute, I'll be right with you." A few minutes later Naruto was all dressed up with a black T-Shirt and orange pants. Then they started to walk down to the path where they are walking. "Naruto, how come you weren't out at all yesterday?" "... Sakura-Chan, to really tell you the truth, this whole promise thing is draining me both physically and mentally. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up. Just taking a break, needed a day away from people." Sakura grimaced a little without Naruto's notice. "Naruto, I believe you about needing the break thing, but I don't think you really telling me the truth about avoiding people or not just telling the TRUE reason why." They took a turn, then they were facing the path to the park. "I didn't want to see you. I didn't even want to see your face; I just can't stand seeing you suffer, especially the day we returned. So I high-tailed it out of there. That's the truth."

Sakura looked at Naruto like he had the plague. "Naruto, let's sit down somewhere, I have to tell you something" So they went to the nearest place to sit and sat, ironically the bench where "Sasuke" almost kissed Sakura almost 3 and a half years ago. "Naruto, it isn't okay to hide your sadness. And don't tell me that you haven't because I can recall several instances that you did this. How come you do this people, especially me, we're friends, and friends tell friends about what's on their minds, right?" Naruto nodded. "Sakura-Chan, you have bigger things to worry about than me. If I told you what's going on with me then I would be a burden to you." Sakura's eyes became sad when he said that. "Naruto. You are not, I repeat are not a burden to me or anyone else in that matter. You've done so much for other people and made us feel better, why can't you let us do the same for you?" Naruto looked at her profoundly. She was right, Naruto has done everything for people in the past, but due to the harsh brutality and isolation in his past has made him weary of opening up to other people.

"Sakura-Chan, if you must know I guess I can tell you. Sakura, I've been horribly abused by the villagers for being the container for the Kyuubi. So I couldn't make any friends because of what I am, and I think that might be the reason I don't let people in." Naruto was now going down his face. "Sakura, if I let you in I think that you are just going to run away from the monster that I am." Naruto covered his face and looked away from Sakura. Then a pair of warm, slender arms wrapped around Naruto, Naruto look back to see what caused this phenomenon, Naruto blushed hard but still cried. Then Sakura began to cry. "See what I mean? I caused you to cry because of me, like I told you just ignore me." "Naruto just shut up. I would've been your friend back then if I wasn't such an immature bitch. And you're not a monster; I think it's selfish for people to view YOU as a monster just because you have a demon inside you. Naruto, sometimes you maybe the biggest moron that walked the planet but the pros outweigh the cons. You have tremendous courage, a good heart, you're just overall a likeable person." Naruto looked at Sakura and then Naruto wrapped his arms around Sakura. "Thank you Sakura-Chan." Then a few minutes later they broke the embrace. "For now on, if you are sad and you have a problem about something, you talk about it and not holding it in, Promise?" Naruto smiled. "Promise." Then Sakura raised her pinky, "Pinky promise?" Then Naruto took out his pinky and wrapped it around Sakura's. "Pinky promise." Naruto said with a million dollar grin. "Wanna keep walking?" Naruto asked. Sakura nodded. "Wanna grab lunch while we're at it?" Naruto nodded and they walked some more.

5 hours later

It was 10 minutes before 5 and the shadows were casting in the ground and some of the streetlights were on. Naruto and Sakura had a lovely walk, like they said they had lunch together and walked around Konoha. To their surprise they finally realized that it was almost dinnertime and none of them were near their houses. "I guess we have to get some dinner soon eh?" Naruto said with a foxy grin. It made Sakura blush a little. "Do you want to go on a date?" Naruto surprised Sakura by asking her out. "Naruto for once, I do." Naruto's jaw dropped, his eyes started twitching with excitement, awe, and happiness all at once. "Seriously, you will?! Sakura-Chan I promise you that I'll treat you like a lady and be a complete gentleman to you. I'll even pay for the whole me-" Sakura's hand cupped Naruto's mouth. "I guess another con about you is that you talk way too much." Sakura said with glee and giggled. "Let's just go." Sakura finished. "But before we go, I must tell you something else Naruto." This intrigued Naruto, he wanted to know. "What is it?" Naruto asked. Sakura looked at the blond with happiness. "I don't like Sasuke anymore. This is what I forgot to tell you earlier." Naruto's eyebrows quirked a bit. "How come?" Naruto asked Sakura.

"Because I, I found someone that deserves it more than Sasuke. Wonder who it is Naruto?" Naruto shrugged. "It's you. Actually I liked you more than a friend for a long time now. But I want to be your girlfriend Naruto. Do you want to be my boyfriend?" Naruto blushed fiercely and walked closer to Sakura. "I wouldn't want anything else than to be with you Sakura-Chan. Of course I will be your boyfriend." Sakura's arms wrapped around Naruto's neck and the both of them leaned in and kissed. Both of them were in complete bliss. The both of them didn't want the other to let go as the kiss deepened; the both of them let go after a few minutes. Naruto and Sakura knew what to say to each other, "I love you Naruto, I promise you that I will never leave your side. That's a promise." Naruto nodded. "I love you as well Sakura-Chan, and I promise that I will talk about my problems with you." The both of them leaned in again and stole another kiss. Then Sakura held Naruto's hand and Naruto did the same with her hand and walked to dinner like they said they would. 'Thank you Sakura-Chan. I finally found someone that I can lean on.' Sakura rested her head on Naruto's shoulder. 'I forgot to tell him something else, but what was it? Oh yeah, i'll talk to Naruto about that later.'. And the rest is history.

-The End- 


End file.
